THE HAGUE, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met here Monday with Dutch King Willem-Alexander, urging the two countries to enhance cooperation in various areas and defend multilateralism and free trade.

Li first conveyed Chinese President Xi Jinping's cordial greetings to the Dutch king.

In recent years, China-Netherlands relations have developed rapidly, Li said, noting that the exchange of visits by the two countries' heads of state has opened up broad prospects for bilateral ties.

The development of China-Netherlands ties not only benefits both nations, but also bears major significance for China-Europe relations, he said.

China, Li said, is willing to work with the Dutch side to deepen cooperation in various fields, including investment, financing and inclusive finance, and create favorable conditions for their companies, especially those small- and medium-sized ones, to conduct cooperation.

Dutch companies, he added, are welcome to make investment in China.

Speaking of the international trade system, Li said it is encountering some difficulties.

He called upon the two countries, both being open economies and major global traders, to support the rules-based international political and economic order, abide by commonly accepted norms, work together to defend multilateralism and free trade, and inject more certainties into the world.

For his part, King Willem-Alexander said close high-level exchanges over recent years have boosted bilateral ties and facilitated mutually beneficial cooperation and two-way corporate investment between the two countries.

In face of the challenges besetting today's world, the Netherlands and China have even more reasons to enhance unity and cooperation, so as to jointly address risks caused by uncertainties and safeguard the international trade system and the world's stability and development, said the king.

Li arrived in the Netherlands on Sunday for an official visit, the first by a Chinese premier to the European country in 14 years.